Trench-digging apparatus.



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(Application filed Mar. 25, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented Dec. 3|, l90l. W. H. JUHNSTON.

TRENCH DIGGING APPARATUS.

Applicalzicm filed Mar. 25, 1901) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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\VILBUR I'I. JOHNSTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRENCH-DBGGING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 689,886, dated December 31, 1901..

Serial No. 52,798. No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILBUR H. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trench-Digging Apparatus,- (Case No. 1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to trench-digging apparatus, and has for its object the construe tion of such an apparatus wherein the diggingtool may be operatively distinct from the toolactuating mechanism, so that the tool may be driven into the work by successive blows of ahammer, whereby the actuating mechanism may be relieved of withdrawing the tool upon each reciprocation.

Heretofore apparatus commonly in use employed tools which had to be withdrawn from time to time in digging or chiseling along a given line, which obviously imposes extra work upon the apparatus, especially when clay soil is being dug or where the soil is wet and heavy.

In the device of my invention the tool by being structurally distinct from the actuating hammer may be set to dig along a given line and may continuously progress in this given line until the required depth is reached without being withdrawn.

Another feature of my invention is the provision of improved apparatus for receiving the soil after it is dug away, a conveyer preferably extending from this receiving appara tus to the surface to convey the soil away. The receiving apparatus is preferably in the form of a bucket provided with a sharp nose and mounted to rotate upon a suitable framework, so that the nose of the bucket may reach the lower and innermost corner of the trench, whereby the removed soil may be cleaned from the trench and the trench completed as the entire apparatus is moved along the roadway.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, .a protecting-shield forming part of the apparatus being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the reciprocating hammer and its actuating means in combination with the tool to be actuated by the hammer. Fig. 4 is a side view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the bucket in one of its adjusted positions.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the dilferent fignres.

I have illustrated a wheeled truck a, which may be mounted upon wheels or rollers moving upon planks I), located upon each side of the trench. This truck a supports all of the operating mechanism. A boiler c is mounted upon the truck to furnish steam to the engine (1 and the steam-chest e of the cylinder f, to which steam-chest steam is conveyed from the boiler c by a pipe g. A transversely-moving wheeled carriage h is mounted upon the truck a and moves upon transverse rails carried upon the truck, so that a trench of the desired width may be dug. The transverselymoving carriage it supports a frame having two vertical guides "i '5, located in a transverse line and which serve to direct the sliding frame 7c in a vertical direction. This sliding frame 7.: is provided with a rope connection Z to the engine (Z or other hoisting agency, so that the vertical position thereof may be adjusted from time to time.

The shifting frame 7c is provided with two guideways m m, Fig. 2, transversely alined and within which a framework having guides an is adapted to move vertically. The guides at n are provided with lugs 0 0, upon which the operating-cylinderf rests. The hammer p reciprocates in the portions of the guides at at below the lugs o 0, the lower end of the frame constituting or carrying a tool-stock r, in which a tool .9 of a character suited to the soil may be removably secured. The said tool can be of any suitable form or shape, but is preferably of some width and sharpened at its lower edge, so as to have a sort of chiseling action when driven into the ground and so as to adapt it for loosening up and dislodging the soil in the manner shown in Fig. 1. With the arrangement of sliding frames and gnideways the tool when resting upon the ground in an operative position sustains the weight of the hammer and cylinder, it being observed that the latter are carried by the guides 72 'n, which are rigid with the tool-stock and tool, and that the frame formed by the said guides is arranged for 'up-anddown or vertical sliding movement in the frame 7c. In this way the tool and hammer and actuating means move gradually down-- ward together and independently of the balance of the machine-that is to say, move downward as far as the guides at n are capable of moving in the frame 7c. When the tool has moved downward to the limitof its downward movement relatively to the frame 70, the latter can then be lowered sufficiently to give the tool, hammer, and actuating means opportunity for further downward movement and'without interrupting the downward progress of the tool in the soil. The constructionand arrangement may therefore be such that the excavating or digging device, which, as indicated,is preferably a motive-fluid-actuated impact device, is free to automatically descend as its'tool works downward into the ground, the stroke of the hammer always being the same. Any suitable mechanism may be employed'for controlling the reciprocation ofthe hammerp. I have indicated in'Fig. 4 a mechanism If, known to those skilled in the art and which I will therefore not describe.

By the apparatus thus described I am enabled to drive the digging-tool along any given line to the desired depth without effecting its withdrawal until the complete depth has beeir reached. In the preferred embodiment of'the invention, as specified, there is first the carrying-frame In, that may be lowered from time totime as the'tool progresses downwardly, which carrying-frame in turn supports the secondary carrying-frame, within which the hammer p reciprocates and which carries the tool 3.

I provide a conveyer-frame u, upon the upper endof which a driving sprocket-wheel 'u is carried, while upon the lower end a driven sprocket-wheel w is located. The conveyer 10 travels about the sprocket-wheels and dips with-in the bucket to, which is preferably journaled to rotate about the same axis as the wheel to. A stay-rope y is attached to the bucket upon each side of its axis and passes over'an operating-drum .2, that may be rotated to secure the desired adjustment of the bucket. The bucket is preferably tapered to 1 a sharp edge at its front and desirably also at its rear. When the trenching-tool approaches the lower limit of its travel, the bucket is rotated to bring its front edge in line with the bottom of the trench, so that the last bit of soil removed by the trenching-tool will be received by thebucket. I

With further reference to the excavating device or digging-tool it will be seen that the cylinder, the hammer, and the tool 8 constitute a motive-fluid-actuated impact device adjustably supported in position to operate upon theend wall of the trench. The motive-iiuid-actuated impact device thus provided and arranged is capable of rapid and efficient work. The tool 8 of said device is, as previously explained, adapted for loosening or dislodging the soil from the end wall of the trench, and the soil thus dislodged is received by the tilting bucket or hopper 0c. The dirt or soil collected by the bucket or hopper is then carried up by the elevator or conveyer w and disposed of in any suitable or desired manner. In this way the conveyer and the bodily-adjustable impact excavating device cooperate in excavating or digging the trench. Broadly considered, therefore, my invention contemplates an impact digging'or excavating device adapted and arranged for loosening up or dislodging thesoil.

While I have thus shown and particular-lydescribed the prefer-red embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that changes may readily be made without departing from the rocations, a second frame-which serves to guide the aforesaid frame in a vertical direction, and means for adjusting the vertical po sition of the latter frame, substantially as described.

2. In a trenching apparatus, the combination with a trenching-tool, of an impact-hammer structurally distinct from the trenchingtool, means for effecting the operation of the hammer, a frame supporting the impact-tool and serving to guide the hammer in its reciprocations, a second frame which serves to guide the aforesaid frame in a vertical direction, vertical guiding means for guiding the latter frame in its vertical travel, and means for effecting the vertical movement of the latter frame, substantially as described.

In a trenching apparatus, the combination with a trenching-tool, of an impact-hammer structurally distinct therefrom, a cylinder with its piston for effecting the operation of the hammer, and a frame for supporting the trenching-tool, guiding the hammer in its reciprocations, and also for supporting the cylinder, substantially as described.

4. In an excavating-machine, the combination with a device for loosening up or dislodging the soil, of a tilting or swinging bucket adapted and arranged for receiving the dirt or soil loosened up and dislodged by said device, of aframe u upon the lower end of which the bucket is pivotally mounted, and means at the upper end of the frame for effecting a rotary adjustment of the bucket, substantially as described.

5. In a conveying apparatus, the combination with a swinging bucket, of a frame it upon the lower end of which the bucket is mounted, means at the upper end of the frame for efiecting a rotary adjustment of the bucket, and a conveyer traveling between the bucket and the upper end of the said frame and serving to remove the contents of the bucket, substantially as described.

6. A trenching-machine, comprising a suitable frame or body, a trenching-tool or excavating device suspended therefrom in position to operate upon the end wall of the trench, an impact-hammer adapted and arranged for driving said tool into the ground, means for actuating said hammer, and means for disposing of the dirt or soil loosened up or dislodged by said tool,substantially as described.

7. A trenching-machine, comprising a suitable frame or body, a trenching-tool or excavating device suspended therefrom in position to operate upon the ground at the end of the trench, a hammer adapted and arranged for delivering impacts upon said tool, motivetluid-actuated means for operating said hammer, and means for disposing of the dirt or soil loosened up and dislodged by said tool or excavating device, substantially as described.

8. An excavating-machine, comprising a suitable frame or body, a tool or excavating device adapted and arranged in position for operating upon the ground, a hammer for delivering impacts upon said tool, a cylinder and piston for actuating said hammer, the said tool, hammer, cylinder and piston all be ing supported and arranged for vertical adjustment, means for supplying motive fiuid to said cylinder, and a suitable conveyer or elevator for disposing of the dirt or soil loosened up and dislodged by said tool, substantially as described.

9. An excavating machine comprising a suitable frame or body, a tool or excavating device, a hammer adapted and arranged for delivering impacts upon said tool, so as to drive the latter into theground, a cylinder and piston for actuating said hammer, the cylinder and tool or excavating device being constructed and arranged for relative adjustment, the tool, hammer, cylinder and piston all being supported and arranged for bodily rise and fall or vertical adj ustment,and means for disposing of the dirt or soil loosened up or dislodged by said tool, substantially as described.

10. In a trenching-machine, the combination of the frame or body, a trenching-tool or excavating device suspended therefrom in position to operate upon the ground at the end of the trench, a tilting bucket or hopper con structed to occupy a position at the bottom of the trench, so as to receive the dirt or soil loosened up and dislodged by said tool, and a conveyor or elevator adapted and arranged for disposing of the dirt received by said bucket or hopper, substantially as described.

11. In a trenching-machine, the combination of a tool adapted and arranged for operating upon the end wall of the trench, an impact-hammer for driving said tool into the ground, a hopper constructed to occupy a position at the bottom of said trench, so as to receive the dirt loosened up and dislodged by said tool, and a conveyer adapted and arranged for carrying the dirt upward from said bucket or hopper, the latter being adapted to receive the lower end of said conveyer, substantially as described.

12'. In an excavating-machine, the combination of means for loosening up or dislodging the soil, a tilting receiving hopper or bucket constructed to occupy a position at the bottom of the trench, so as to receive the dislodged dirt or soil, and a traveling conveyer for elevating the soil or dirt received by said hopper or bucket, substantially as described.

13. An excavating-machine comprising a wheeled frame or body, a motive-fluid-actuated impact excavating or digging device adapted and arranged for loosening up and dislodging the soil, said device comprising a suitable tool and a hammer for driving said tool into the ground, and suitable means for disposing of the soil dislodged by said device, substantially as described.

14. A trenching machine comprising a frame or body provided with vehicle-wheels, a motive-fluid-actuated impact excavating or digging device adapted and arranged for operating upon the end wall of the trench, said device comprising a suitable tool and a hammer for driving said tool into the ground, and means for disposing of the dirt or soil dislodged by said device, substantially as described.

15. A trenching-machine comprising a vehicle or wheeled body-frame, an impact ex cavating or digging device adapted and arranged for operating upon the end wall of the trench, said device comprising a suitable tool and a hammer for driving said tool into the ground, and a conveying device for disposing of the dirt or soil dislodged by said impact excavating device, substantially as described.

16. An excavating-machine, comprising a device for loosening up and dislodging the soil, a vertically-disposed frame or structure, a bucket or hopper carried at the lower end of said frame or structure, said bucket or hopper being arranged in position to receive dirt dislodged by said excavating device, and a conveyer or elevator for disposing of the dirt or soil received by the said bucket or hopper, the lower end of the conveyer being disposed within the bucket, whereby dirt is removed from the bucket while the bucket is receiving dirt, substantially as described.

17. An excavating-machine, comprising a suitable device for loosening up and dislodg ing, the soil, a vertically-disposed frame or trench that is being'excavated,substantially structure, a bucket or hopper pivoted at the as described. 10 lower endof said vertically-disposed frame In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my or structure s0v as to receive soil dislodged by name this 19th day of March, A. D. 1901;

5 said excavating device, a pivotal mounting a WILBUR H. JOHNSTON.

for the said bucket, and mechanism whre- Witnesses:

by the bucket may be rotated to differentpo- GEORGE L. GRAGG, sitions of angular adjustment While in the.

HARVEY L. HANSON. 

